Backpacking

After the program ended, I adios-ed the Conch and the Peps, my host parents, and I said my last "Vale", Theresa and I headed to Lagos, Portugal. We were SO READY for the beach! Too bad it rained for the first 2 days. However, we did get a good beach day in, lounging in between the towering cliffs and swimming around coves in the cold water. We also had a great hostel manager, Artur, who showed us around the little town and hooked us up with a surf instructor, Andre + dog, who taught us some tricksy surfing on the west coast. I got up a few time and got to wear this supersexy wet suit. I felt very Blue Crush.

(definitley not) Thoroughly tanned and ready, we left on a bus to central Portugal, Lisbon. SURPRISE! The Pope's here! And our hostel street is blocked off because of it! We have large backpacks and have to walk through the whole city to get there! We did get to see Mr. Pope though, which my very Catholic friend enjoyed. Lisbon was real cool, with its neighborhoods of colorfully tiled buildings and hilly street-riding yellow trolley cars. We visited the castle overlooking the bay, ate lemon cremes at the famous Pasteis de Belém, and tried in vain to figure out how to ride their Elevador, a giant intricate elevator, designed by an intern of Eiffel, which lifts you to the highest neighborhood of Lisbon. Thus, our last time near Spain ended and we flew off to Venice.